United World College

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Guest Sandan

Guest Sandan

well.... i am new to the forum, this is actually my first post, but i was wondering, are there any people here that went to one the world colleges? and how was it like? i'm kind of debating on whether to apply or not, i don't know - is it a good experiance? that's it i guess lol, i hope i get into one thought - they look like so much fun, i want to either apply to the one in wales or india, bosnia wouldn't be bad either

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There's one in Singapore, I don't go there personally. It's huge, so basically you're like a fish in the sea, but then again I'm talking out of experience of a small school. People there are nerdy, and tend to do very well. They only do take the best, and there are huge waiting lists for places in the College.

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For anyone coming across this thread: yes, apply to the UWCs! The UWCs are widely recognized centres of excellence with respect to producing intellectually-mature student leaders. A UWC is a challenging but very rewarding experience, and you have next to nothing to lose from just applying. Contact your country's selection committee to learn more about your options.

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I have a friend who attends Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong. This is his first year and so far he seems to be having a great time. It's highly competitive and challenging, but if you are up for it..definitely apply!

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The difference between most regular IB schools and UWC is that most are full scholarship schools, they have excellence opportunity and you are able to do many events etc if you go there. They are extremely competitive and only a few get accepted. Academically they are just the same as a regular IB school apart from all their teachers have at least a Master's degree in their subject.

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I go to the UWC in Singapore, it's great, despite what people say everyone finds their group of friends. Plus, as a large school their is a large number of opportunities presented that you can't get in other schools. For example, we have three 'seasons' for drama, which means at the end of each term there will be a number of performances.

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United World College is not, in its simplest terms, a college, per say. It's more similar to the definition of the European's way of saying college, where you study for two years intensively. It's a system of colleges around the world, with one in every continent, that teaches the IB Diploma. They have a myriad of subjects to choose from and the locations are amazing if you want to travel. It seems like such a great opportunity and I wanted to post to get any attention of those interested and maybe hear from those who are familiar with the colleges.

I know I was very interested last year, but the application date had passed. I am considering applying this year, although that would most likely mean leaving behind the subjects I am currently in to either continue them from scratch or start new ones. This does seem appealing to some extent (relearning everything for Biology ) but maybe not so appealing as I would probably have to pick up a new language because I am testing out my Spanish exam this year. Either way, I would love to attend.

The website is located here and the location of the colleges can be found here.

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well.... i am new to the forum, this is actually my first post, but i was wondering, are there any people here that went to one the world colleges? and how was it like? i'm kind of debating on whether to apply or not, i don't know - is it a good experiance? that's it i guess lol, i hope i get into one thought - they look like so much fun, i want to either apply to the one in wales or india, bosnia wouldn't be bad either

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Guest Soiboist

Guest Soiboist

Do you just apply for the UWC in your own country? And can you tell them what country you would prefer to study in? What kind of people are they looking for? I mean what do they like to hear at the interview?

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Do you just apply for the UWC in your own country? And can you tell them what country you would prefer to study in? What kind of people are they looking for? I mean what do they like to hear at the interview?

nope nope, there are only 13 in the world so you cant just apply to the one in your country (i am from england but i attend UWC maastricht, netherlands). most countries have a national commitee that you apply to, if yours doesnt then you apply to the uwc board. and totalllyyy depends on your country, some give you a form that lets you chose which college to go to or make an order of preference, others are completely random selection. generally they are looking for someone who is very unique, mature, open-minded and intelligent. you don't have to have the best grades ever (although it helps) but you do have to show commitment to your culture and community and be interested in getting to know others and learning about other cultures or even adopting them as your own. the ethos behind it is bringing people together through education so you have to show you can stick to this principle i.e. complete acceptance and even love for other languages, religions, cultures, even if it is out of your comfort zone. you have to show you can adapt and grow as a person.

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Guest Soiboist

Guest Soiboist

It definitely seems like a rewarding experience, and I like the fact that universities seems to pick people who has been going to a UWC, but there are a few things that concerns me. Isn't it hard to find time to study when there are so many events beside school and when you share room with other students? At my school there are a few bad teachers even though the majority is great, do you completely get away from those at a UWC or are those present aswell?

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It definitely seems like a rewarding experience, and I like the fact that universities seems to pick people who has been going to a UWC, but there are a few things that concerns me. Isn't it hard to find time to study when there are so many events beside school and when you share room with other students? At my school there are a few bad teachers even though the majority is great, do you completely get away from those at a UWC or are those present aswell?

Thank you for the reply btw!

yes it certainly is rewarding (so far anyhow) and will appear great to employers and universities.

yes these things can be an issue but again they are so worth it. i do three hours of music, 2 hours of basketball and 1 hour of model united nations as well as 2-3 hours of community service a week. yes they take up a lot of my time and i can sometimes be up very late doing homework but i enjoy every second of my extra activities and homework isn't a chore because the IB makes sure that you aren't just doing worksheets and quizzes, you are participating in self-improvement and self-exploration all the time. yes i have times when im very stressed and want to scream but then i calm myself down by saying its all so worth it and the good moments are always ten times better than the bad moments. most UWCs have designated times and areas where you can study in silence and anyone being disruptive removed from the area. also there are free periods where you can study in the library during the school day. as for the teachers, all of the ones i have are excellent, but i cant guarantee that is the same for all UWCs and even all subjects at my school because of course i only take some of them. UWCM is a very new school so most of the teachers were there previously when it was just a normal school however, this doesnt mean anything because i'm pretty sure that teachers are selected just like in every other school, they dont have to be unique individuals like the students... but at the end of the day the ethos of the IB is about being organised and motivated to study by yourself and learn new things on your own, so it shouldnt be an issue.

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I really don't mind whichever UWC I go to, but UWC-USA would probably be my priority.

My grades are okayish, I guess. My middle school grades were horrendous and that dropped my GPA because I took Algebra 1 and Geometry there, but I rectified that in high schools and have grades of A- and A. Would that be okay?

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I really don't mind whichever UWC I go to, but UWC-USA would probably be my priority.

My grades are okayish, I guess. My middle school grades were horrendous and that dropped my GPA because I took Algebra 1 and Geometry there, but I rectified that in high schools and have grades of A- and A. Would that be okay?

I go to UWC now and if I remember correctly they don't even take into account your middle school grades. However, the selection process changes by country but I´m pretty certain high school grades are SIGNIFICANTLY more important than middle school ones. That being said, If i had to say what is needed to get in, I think all grades do are qualify you, a lot more of what matters are your essays and your interviews and your extra curriculars, so pretty much very similar to U.S. uni admissions. Most National Committees are interested in seeing kids who are passionate and represent the UWC ideals.

But again, because it ranges from country to country, i would suggest going on your countrys UWC page and looking at the requirements on there first of all and then of course if oyu have any other questions, feel free to ask me